Switch-operating mechanism



Nov. 20, 1928. 1,691,915

. c. H. BOURGEOIS SWITCH OPERATING MECHANISM Filed March 25, 1926 3 7 f I a fNVE/VTU FY 04mm TTUZF/V'E I Patented Nov. 20, 1928. it H I STA S PATENT OFFICE.

CLARENCE H. BoUneEoIs, oF Tor/1 3110, OHIO, AssIoNoR TO THE H UGHTON ELEVATOR & MACHINE COMPANY, OF TOLEDO, OHIO, A CORPORATION 01 OHIO.

a SWITCH-OPERATING EoHANIsM.

p naaafiad March 25,1926. Serial Nd. 97,481;

This invention relates to: switch operating devices v r This invention hasutility when incorporated in switch resetting means.

5 Referring to the drawings: I \Fi'g. 11 is'a fragmentary view showing' an embodiment ott'he invention in connection with an electric "elevator;

' Fig.2 is a fragmentary'view of a switchi board 'for the installation of Fig. 1, showing the inventionin side elevation;

Fig; 3 is a section on the line IIIIII,Fig. 2, on an en-larged scale;

is a sect'on on the 1ine IVIV,

i gj is a sectionon the hue V'V,F1g. 4;

Fig. 6. is a View looking into the leakage plu *fromthe' right ofFig; 4. t

Fllectric motor .lis fiective through drum 2 for driving elevator car 3 in shaft 4. This car 'i's' suspended by cable 5 extending about the drum 2 and idIer Gto counterweight? in the shafti "Controlboa'rd 8 is shown as carrying'brackets '9' for shafts 10, 11, 12, as actuatedby motors 13, 14 15;, The motor 15 isshown as carrying pinion 16 in mesh with gear'17 on the shaft" 12 as carrying cams 18 for rocking arms 19 intoaiid out ojf pcontact with; terminals "20' and thereby closing v and openin switches asremotely etermined by control er 21.in the ,car 3. p I

The rock shaft 1'2I'has collar 22 mounted thereon with extension23 'swingable in either direction of rotation of the shaft 12 to abut fixed stop2l-oand thereby determine the limit of rocking ofthe sh'aft lfl' to somewhat less than: 180 from the downward positionQof the examinees as at the open or inoperative position for the switches 19,20. 1 r 4 ndscha'in 25 to From the'e'xtension 23'exte eyes 26" ofcounterweight on piston 27 as guided by cylinder 28carried by the bracket 9 fixed with the switchboard or panel 81in coaxial position'from the shaft 12 centrally through the downward position of the exten 'si'on 23'. piston is given weight by havits' shell 27, say of iron,"loaded with filler 29 say, of lead; piston 271 has chamber '30 therein for ball 31 as" closing port32' in plug 33 from the lower side of this piston 27. Upwardly fromthis chamber 30, there is oval vent. opening 34. Accordingly, there is provided in this piston, a ball type of check valve permitting the piston 27, as guided by the cylinder 28, havingibottom closureor head35, to descend or fall treely toward such bottom 35in thushaving the centering weight 27, 29, fully effective in resetting or pulling the shaft 12 back toinitial or sta'rting position from the position of wrapping'the chain 25 upon the collar 22. This recover action is ef ective as the'motor 15 is deenei'gized, and accord ingly through thegearin'g 17, 16, may efi'ect this idle orrecovery resetting rotation, V Thedriving action of themotor 1 5 for operating the cams 18 and shifting the switches 19" toward switch closing positionin the de sired" sequence for motor acceleration is pref,- erably a somewhat retarded action for this torque motor 15, say aslof three-phase alternating current. i To bring about such retard ed action, the ball check valve in the piston precludes entrance of air and the lifting attempt on' the piston 27bythe chain 25 is one opposed by the suction in the lower portion of this piston and cylinder retarding device. The degree of such suction may be nicely adjusted for the desired timing and closing of. the acceleration switches for cutting out acceleration resistance in starting the motor l. This is efiected by port 36 through h1g3? as spaced from the bottom 35 i to extend, through the side wall of the cylin'f den 28 into the region of the'pijston 27 as in down position and abovezthe bottom of such piston27. a This port 36 has vent 38 adjustable by plug 39 socthat after the port 36 is cleared by the-piston 27, therefma'y be I an adjusted air leakageinto the cylinder, thereby ,to relieve the suctioi' resistance against ascent of the pistorr27 while the motor 15' is driving 'tlirough'the gearing 16, 17 ,for operatingfthe shaft 12 to cause the cams 18 to throw the switch arms 19' into the switch closingposi tions at the terminals 20 in the predetermined sequence. v a I The position of the port36, asabove the bottom of'the piston 27,,causes the: piston 27 motor 15 beyond the gravity load. This in sures a snug setting of the ball 31 in closed position. As the piston ascends to clear the port 36, there may be an adjusted slight relief in this suction action for determining the desired timing for the operation of the acceleration switches. As the motor 15 is deenergized, the loaded piston 27 drops rapidly in swinging the rock shaft 12 and the switch arms 19 into switch opening positions. The ball 31 is unseated, and there is free flow of the fluid from the lower portion of the cyli n der 28. The oval configuration of the vent 34 precludes lodging of the ball 31 .therein so that as the piston 27 has reached its lowermost position in such close proximity as to almost abut the head 35 without pounding such head, the ball 31 then is seated and the device is in position for a repetition of the cycle of operations.

An important adi' 'antage of the present construction is its reliability in insuring the quick return of the switch by gravity to inactive or off position,-as soon as the torque motor is de-energized, and in retaining it in that position regardless of the rapidity with which it approaches such position.v The great mass of the piston 27, 29 gives a quick downward pull. The check valve ball 31 allows the air to escape freely from beneath the piston and permits the rapid descent of the piston toward the closed end of the cylinder. hen the switch'reaches its central or off position, the piston is atthe lowest point iniits movement, and the lug or projection 23 is at its lowermost or dead center position. A comparatively slight upward or return movement of the piston at this time, with the momentum of the rotating parts at a maximum, would therefore permit the rock shaft to continue its movement, and possibly throw the switch into reverse position. It is important, then, to provide means for strongly and instantly resisting the movement of the piston, at the moment it reaches its limiting position. Such resistance is insured by the fact that the piston cooperates with the lower end of the cylinder to form an entirely closed space until the piston is moved upwardly far enough to uncover the leakage port 36. When the piston reaches its lowermost position, .hereis substantially no air chamber beneath it, and as a consequence, a substantially complete vacuum must be produced in the closed end of the cylinder as the piston moves upwardly. A resistance of substantially 15 pounds per square inch must, therefore, be overcome, in addition to. the Weight ofthe piston. This prevents any accidental movement ofthe switch into reverse position-unless the torque motor is intentionally energi'zed by the action of the operator to effect such movement. I

f What is claimed and it is desired to secure by United States Letters Patent is:

I 1. The combination with a switch operating rock shaft, of an actuator for the shaft, means retarding the rocking of said shaft when acted upon by said actuator, said retarding means embodying a weight connected to the rock shaft and a guide cooperating with the weight to form a completely closed space during a predetermined fractional part only of the movement of said weight.

when acted upon by said actuator, said re- I tarding means embodying a piston connected with the rock shaft and a cylinder in which the piston is guided, said piston coo erating with the end of the cylin der remote rom the rock shaft to form a completely closed space during a predetermined fractional part only of the movement of said piston.

3. The combination with a switch, operatingrock shaft, of an actuator for the shaft, means retarding the rocking of said shaft when acted upon by said actuator, said retarding means embodying a piston connected with the rock shaft and a cylinder in which the piston is guided, said piston, when near one end of the cylinder, cooperating with said end to forma completely closed space, said cylinderbeing provided with a leakage port which is uncovered by the piston only after it has moved an appreciable distance away from said end. I I

4t. The'combination with a switch operating rock sliaft, 'an actuator for the shaft, means retardingthe rocking of said shaft when acted upon bysaid actuator, said retardingmeans embodying a cylinder having a closed end portion, and a piston connected withthe rock shaft and movable substantially to the extreme end of the cylinder without actually pounding the same, said 0 linder having a leakage port at an apprecia le distance from said end. i I

5. The combination with a shaft rockable in either direction from a central position, a lug on said shaft whichprojects downwardly when the shaftis in central positioma piston connected to said lug, a cylinder with which the piston is associated, said piston and cylinder cooperating to forma completely closed space when the piston is in lowermost position, and an upwardly opening check valve in the cylinder to permit the free movement-of the piston downwardly. I

6.. The combination with ashaft rockable in either direction from a central position, 9. lug on said shaft which projects downwardly when the shaft isin central position, a piston connected to said lug, a cylinder with which the piston is associated, said piston and cylindercooperating to form a completely closed spacewhen the piston-is in lowermost position, and an upwardly opening check valve in the cylinder to permit the free movementof 2. The combination with a switch operat ing rock shaft, of an actuator for the shaft, I means for retarding the rocking of said shaft the piston downwardly, said cylinder having a leakage port in position to be uncovered by the piston only after said piston has moved an appreciable distance awayfrom the end of the cylinder.

7 The combination with a switch operating rock shaft, of an actuator for the shaft, and means for retarding the rocking of said shaft when acted upon by said actuator, said retarding means embodying a piston, a flex ible element connecting said piston with the 'rock shaft, and a substantially vertical cylinder in which the piston is guided, said piston cooperating with the lower end of the cylinder to form a completely closed space during a predetermined portion of the movement of said piston, said piston having a port therethrough provided withan upwardly opening check valve permitting a free downward movement of the piston under the influence of gravity, as the shaft is rocked. r r

8. The combination with a switch operating rock shaft, of an actuator for the shaft, a

lateral extension fixed on said shaft, a weight,

a flexible element connecting the weight to the rock shaft, a substantially verticaldash pot beneath the rock shaft and having a closed lower end in which the weight is reciprocable as said projection describes anarc beneath the shaft during the rocking movement thereof, said weight having a port therethrough,

CLARENCE H. BOURGEOIS. 

